TEB

Sorry for no proper introduction, but...

I bought a 1998.5 A4 2.8QM this week. In the deal, I negotiated a "timing belt, tensioner, and waterpump replacement." When I picked up the car, the service manager said that the technician changed the belt, but the water pump was the "new design", wasn't leaking, the bearing felt good so, he did not replace it. He claimed that the pump must have been replaced recently due to the fact that it was this "new design". Furthermore, he claimed that they only automatically replace the tensioners on the 1.8's, not the 2.8's so there was nothing to replace there. OK, I'm a bit peaved. The deal, was the car with new parts, not just inspected ones.

First, is he right about the new design water pump?

Second, is he right about the tensioners not needed to be replaced on the 2.8's?

Thirdly, should I hold their feet to the fire on both issues and get new, or not?

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!
Todd.

TEB

I should add that the SM is willing to give me a 12/12,000 on the un-replaced parts.

Stace

I think he's right about the tensioner. Don't know about other stuff.

Ritz

That's irrelevant. You negotiated a deal. They agreed to it. They then renegged on it. And you're supposed to now trust them to honor a warranty on the stuff they didn't replace after they said they would? I'd just walk. There are PLENTY of used A4's out there.

Cheers,

RKA

knowledge or experience, however you intend to keep the car for the long haul. If the tbelt goes in 15K miles, that leaves you SOL. Explain to him that you've learned the hard way not to mess around with the timing belt or anything related to it. Tell him you would prefer to have all the parts replaced as originally agreed upon, so you'll have piece of mind for another 100K miles.

He'll be hard pressed to argue with a customer's "feelings"

AZBBoy

You should walk on the deal, plenty more A4's out there

RinkRaTT

Can I hire you out for other negotiations? Great response.

TEB

Actually, that is exactly what I told him.

TEB

..to live up to their end of the deal, however, they seem to be making a decent case. I just want to make sure I'm not being unreasonable. If, in fact, the water pump has been replaced recently and there is no reason to replace the tensioners than it may not be necessary to have them open the car up again. The SM is also offering to give me the new pump if they don't end up installing it.

TEB

Thanks, Stace, can anyone confirm that there is a "new design" water pump?